January 2009

  • Paying your dues - an investment in your writing

    By sparklyscotty on 1/30/09 12:31pm
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    <!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]&gt;--> There is a common misconception amongst new writers that they can dive straight in to querying magazines and applying for freelance writing gigs with little or not knowledge other than the editor's email address.

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  • What self-defeating habit is holding you back?

    By sparklyscotty on 1/30/09 3:51am
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    Try as you might, what one stumbling block keeps defeating you? Do you get distracted by external influences, for example the TV, or Facebook? Or perhaps your recurring obstacle to progress comes from within yourself, such as a lack of focus to see projects through to completion?  Regardless of the problem,  the solution is the same: once you have identified something which continues to stand in your way,  you have to find a way to work around it.   Many times this means making difficult choices and compromises in your life, and these can help you to decide how important your writing is to you.

    For me, without question, my biggest stumbling block is my reluctance to make a decision.

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  • Does your own writing inspire you to make changes in your life?

    By sparklyscotty on 1/28/09 3:43am
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    east healthyA few weeks ago I wrote a piece on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for a magazine in the US. Like most people, I know that we are supposed to eat more fruit and veg, cut out fats and sugar, and drink plenty of water, so I wasn't expecting to reveal anything life-changing in my research.  No matter how many health reports and documentaries I watched, I still found myself reaching for the potato chips instead of the pretzels at the grocery store.

    Yet by the time I was finished I had radically changed my diet to include all of the super-foods I had written about.

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  • The Three Stages of Writing

    By msarko on 1/27/09 9:44pm
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    We live in a literate society. It's considered necessary that everyone knows how to read and write, so writing isn't so distinct an art as other purely optional activities like painting or playing a musical instrument. It's more than a bit nebulous where the line between literate and literati exists. So, how does one actually become an artist of the word? In my experience as a writer and teacher, it's a process that happens in three distinct steps.

    1. Yes, I Can Write

    From an early age, books seem to have a magical quality to them. Carefully crafted words materialize on the shelf with no evidence of the storyteller aside from the name on the cover. It's an equally magical thing for a young person to come to the realization that he or she has the potential to produce a book as well. This is the time of "Yes, it is possible" when an individual becomes an aspiring writer.

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  • How To Drum Up Quick Cash

    By sparklyscotty on 1/27/09 6:29am
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    Creating your own work is essential for a writerI have always been a bit of a dreamer, refusing to adhere to a 9-5, salaried routine, and preferring to do something I enjoyed that enriched my quality of life, if not my bank account.  I am fortunate that now I earn a pretty good living as a writer.  That being said, the sudden loss of a big client, receiving a check for a kill fee instead of the full payment, or an unexpected car repair bill can suddenly make a big enough dent in my budget that I have to temporarily scrabble for extra income.

    After the initial shock has passed, I have a set way of dealing with any unexpected downturn in my finances, and this plan has helped me to pay the bills in many difficult times.

    1.

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  • Deciding Your Worth

    By sparklyscotty on 1/27/09 6:08am
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    If writing is your profession you need to spend some time at the books.As with any freelance career, earning a good living is up to you. No-one will tell you your salary and pay it automatically into your bank each month. No-one will sit you down at the end of the year, review your performance and decide whether or not to give you a raise or a bonus. You will be exclusively responsible for deciding what you want your hourly, or per word rate to be.  This can be a daunting prospect for new writers.

    Speaking to your peers can lead to huge confusion, as the amount that each writer gets paid varies hugely depending on their quality, clients and industry.

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  • What tools make your writing life easier?

    By sparklyscotty on 1/27/09 4:04am
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    My USB powered heated mitsI am a complete gadget hound.

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  • The Value of Writer Groups

    By sparklyscotty on 1/27/09 3:50am
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    I     love my job. I love being able to roll out of bed, grab a cup of coffee and work in my own little office. No nosy co-workers, no unreasonable boss, no strict hours. I work how I want (messily), when I want (16 hours one day then the next day off) and where I want (on my veranda when the sun shines.) I can't imagine ever returning to the 9-5 world of commutes and cubicles, being told what to do and how to do it, and being restricted to a limited area of interest.

    But there is a lonely side to working from home.

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